Sabrix
by Koelker12
Summary: OC. Rif and Daris Sabrix, are thrown into the Galactic Civil War, and find many external and internal obstacles as they take part in familiar Star Wars events and new, all the while beginning to taste the power of the force however...what side?


A Just Reward

By: Jinchu

Chapter 1: Fueling the Fire

Many things in life just have to be accepted. Some of those many for the Sabrix brothers were the family, world, and job they were born into. It wasn't their parents they minded, or even the world they came to be raised on. It was the job they worked with every day since they were ten years old. The family restaurant in Calius, a major tourist/trade city on the planet Berchest, had the brothers working from dawn till dusk and hating every minute of it. The job held them down with the equal effectiveness of tying the two to a boulder in the planet's ocean depths. At the current rate, it seemed they would never get to see the rest of the galaxy.

Of course they had tried to get out of it every once and awhile, but whenever the subject came up their parents would give a negative response or change the subject. Coming up on the age of eighteen for each of them, Rif and Daris Sabrix were ready to finally leave their boring home life like the rest of their friends throughout the city. They had better things to be accomplishing, or so they thought.

Rif, the more rash and outgoing of the two, tried to fit in the one thing he and his brother loved most; flying. Since they were eleven, the two had saved their tips and earnings from the restaurant to purchase a modified T-12 Skyhopper. Although outdated compared to the newer T-16 model, they had installed a new mechanics core that brought it almost up to par with the newer version. Between the two, Rif was superior to his brother in piloting and flew far more frequently than his brother Daris; because his sibling was often practicing his aim with a standard M-80 Blaster Rifle. Among his friends, Daris was unmatched in gunmanship. He could aim with almost AI accuracy, and could wield a blaster rifle as if it were a precision sniper. Where Rif excelled in flying, Daris outmatched in rifles. This didn't mean that Rif couldn't aim and Daris couldn't fly, but almost the opposite. Daris could fly better than most, and Rif shoot better than the average soldier.

"So why don't you join the academy?" asked Javon, a good friend of Rif who was getting rather impatient with him. They got into this conversation every week. "You have the skills to get into the Imperial Fleet. I bet'cha they would put you in charge of a squadron in no time. Your parents would understand...they can't keep you here forever you know."

"I know that" Rif growled, getting annoyed at how many times he had to tell Javon this answer. "They want me to stay and work in the restaurant until they hand it down to me and Daris. There is no way they'll just let me ditch our family's business".

Javon sighed. "Just leave the entire thing to Daris. He's not itching to leave as bad as you are. I'm sure he would understand". Javon rubbed his unshaven chin, the stubble gently scratching his fingertips.

"No. Daris wants to leave as soon as he can, too. He just doesn't know what he wants to do with his life yet"

"He could join the academy with you. With that deadeye of his, the Imperial officers would be fools not to take him".

"But that leads us back to the restaurant! What would I do with it? I can't sell it. It's like a family icon to us".

Javon thought silently, continuing to rub his chin as if hoping a genie would appear out of his nose. "Sorry pal. You're stuck".

"Thanks" Rif added sarcastically. He pulled out a small radio device, remembering he had to call Daris about their dad. Their dad had been coming home in the middle of every night for the past two years. Supposedly he had gotten a second job, or that was what he told Rif and Daris at least. It seemed to them he was always keeping them in the dark about something, the two just didn't know what. They both knew well that he made plenty of money from the restaurant, and just could not decipher the reason for getting another job.

"Daris? You there?" Rif spoke clearly into crystal microphone. There were a few seconds of quiet pause before his brother's voice echoed back to him.

"Rif? That's you, right?"

"Yeah it's me. How's dinner with mom and dad going?"

"Like every meal we have. Dad is just about to leave for his job at the _factory_". He spoke the last word with an intentionally strange tone. Their dad said he worked at the Power Company's Generator Facility.

"Get into the subject before he leaves the house" Rif said, giving a quick glance at Javon. He was currently sitting in a comfy chair he had received on one of his many smuggling missions. It matched the interior of his ship, _The_ _Phoenix Reborn_, quite well. "Call me back when you get dad's answer"

"Alright. See ya later". Daris clipped the radio back onto his belt, and walked into the dining area of their home. The home was rather rustic, as were all the homes in Calius. Most were made of wood and some metals, with electronic components wired throughout the structure.

"Who was that" his mother asked with gentle concern.

"Just Rif. He's still at Javon's ship".

"I wish he wouldn't spend so much time on that thing. He might get caught by the Empire, along with Javon one of these days. That smuggling business isn't exactly legal". She gave Daris an eye that told him she plainly didn't like it.

Daris shook off the subject and turned to his dad. His father's face was drained and tired. He could tell that the job somehow overworked him, yet he never heard him complain about it once.

"Dad, why do you work at the factory?" Daris blurted out, unable to think of any approach at such short notice. His father looked up at him with an age worn face and smiled.

"Keeps me busy. Helps put food on the table" his father told him.

"You know just as well as I do that we make more than enough in the diner" Daris retorted.

"Daris, don't pursue this subject again" his mom put in. "We've told you a million times, he's not quitting".

"But look at him mom! Dad, look at yourself! You look like your forty years older than you really are! You're overworked!"

His father did not respond, and instead stood up and carried his plate away. "I'll be back at the usual" he whispered to his wife on the way out the door.

"Ben..." Daris' mother trailed off as she didn't know what else to say. Instead she turned to Daris, and waited till she heard the door slide shut behind Ben Sabrix.

"There you go again Daris! Why can't you just let your father be. I know he is old and tired, but he wants to work his job".

Daris decided not to get into an argument. He had another plan for tonight. "I'm sorry. I just don't like to see him so miserable looking". He got up from the table and made way for the door, unclipping his radio from his belt.

"Your father's not miserable" came his mothers quiet voice as the youth stepped into the cold night air. Daris tried to ignore the remark.

"Rif" Daris called into his radio. "No go. They pulled the same thing they always do".

"Follow dad to work. See what he's really doing in that old factory".

"Already on that" Daris quickly replied, and shut off the transmission. Down the street, among the few travelers and merchants, Daris was able to pick out his fathers outline in the darkness. For some reason, the city council never put up street lights in this area. It never had bothered him, until now, when he needed it to see his father. His outline was just barely visible. He would have to mention it at the next city committee meeting. He walked forward at a brisk pace, just fast enough to stay in sights of his father, but far enough back where he wouldn't be noticed. He wove in and out of the narrow streets and alley ways, passing numerous homes, shops, and cantinas. About two minutes into the _chase_, Daris came upon an entire squad of soldiers clad in white battle armor. Daris recognized them immediately as stormtroopers, but was bewildered as to why they would be here in Calius. He slowed only a moment to stare in disbelief, but the stormtroopers paid him no attention. They were busy interrogating an open-air market owner, who was in the middle of closing up his stall. Daris walked on, almost loosing his dad ahead to the darkness. He pulled up his radio again and called for Rif.

"Hey, we got trouble" he informed the radio. A moment later, Rif's confused voice broke through.

"Trouble...?"

"There's a whole squad of stormtroopers down here interrogating shop owners. You might want to tip off Javon to move his ship away from the city for the night. He could have a bounty on his head for that stolen Imperial Ion Cannon".

"Ion Cannon?" Rif slowly asked. Suddenly Javon's voice touched Daris' ears, although faint.

"Ah yeah. That was a good one" Javon chuckled in the background.

"Alright" responded Rif, "we'll move it. Thanks for the tip". The line was ended.

Daris put away the radio and gazed ahead as his father turned into the alley for the Generator Facility. Daris hurried along, noting how quiet this particular night seemed to be. You could have heard an astrodroid beep two streets down.

He peered down the dark alleyway and watched two large double doors swing open as his father entered the factory. Daris had just taken a step toward the door, when he heard an earth trembling explosion.

He spun around, facing back towards the street. His heart began to race, and he wondered what in the galaxy could have exploded in the quiet city of Calius. To his horror, he saw a climbing pillar of flames and debris in the direction of his home. His dad's job seemed unimportant now, as he raced off towards his mother.

"Rif! Answer me!" he shouted into the radio.

"What is it?"

"Are you in the air?"

"Yeah, why?". Rif could sense his brothers tension. "What's wrong Daris?"

"Look down towards our home! Is it still there?". There was a muffled crack, and a shifting noise from the other end as Rif leaned over to the window and gazed downward. Rif was temporarily speechless at what he saw.

"Daris, get to the house" Rif finally ordered in all seriousness.

The line cut dead, and Daris ran past the crowds of woken people that began to pour from their hovels, inspecting the strange disturbance. He ran down a few more streets, and finally reached his once safe home. Daris stared in shock at the burning mess of his the place he had grown up in his whole life. Somehow an explosion had erupted against the home and set it ablaze.

"Daris! We got hell up here!" Rif yelled in the most panicked tone Daris had heard from him in a long time. "There's Imperial fighters in the city's airspace!"

"Then get out of here!" Daris ordered. "Don't get yourself killed".

"What about mom? Is she in the house?"

"I'm going to find out!" Daris responded, and he rushed towards the tower of fire.

"Daris...what's going on..." Rif's voice cut off and was replaced by a monotonous static. Daris dropped the now useless radio, hoping that the worst hadn't just happened to Rif. People shouted at him to stop, but his course into the inferno was already set. "Was the Empire behind this?" thought Daris. He jumped through the front entryway, shielding his eyes from the heat and smoke. The first thing he noticed when he entered his home was that he wasn't alone. Ahead of him, packed into the dining area, were five stormtroopers with guns raised and loaded. They didn't hear Daris enter, but continued to move into the blazing building. They appeared to be doing a search. "What could they want?" he thought. Thinking best to avoid them, Daris headed right through a narrow hall that led to his parents room. As he expected, his mother was inside, her hands covering her face.

"Mom!" he called through the fiery din. His mother looked up, not sure of who had called until she saw her son standing right before her.

"Oh...Daris!" she cried weakly. His mothers eyes were filled with tears and relief, but a look of shock soon replaced the feeling. Daris looked behind him to see what was causing his mother trouble, and came face to face with a stormtrooper. An M-80 Blaster Rifle was pointed in his face, and was soon joined by four more. The whole squad was now present within the smoky room, and two moved away to aim their weapons at Daris' mother, while three stood in front of him.

"What do you want from us?" Daris coughed out through his smoke filled lungs. The two guarding his mother spoke first, ignoring Daris' question, "Is this her?" they asked their squad mates. One of the stormtroopers who was holding him under gunpoint and bearing a red square on his shoulder, clearly the squad captain, stepped forward to take a look.

"That's her alright..." he said after a moment. "...Kill her".

"NO!" Daris cried. At the same instant, a fire rotted roof support collapsed onto two of the three holding him under gunpoint. The captain jumped aside, narrowly avoiding the blow, but fell onto the floor from the sudden off balance. Daris, concerned with only protecting his mother, bent down to pry the M-80 Rifle from the burning stormtroopers corpse. He checked the gun with a quick scan of the eye, then aimed at the captain's head.

"Order them off, or your as good as dead!" Daris yelled hoarsely. He could have shot the two about to kill his mother, but then the one he had left would turn on him while he cocked the gun. Unfortunately for him, the M-80's were not automatic.

"Don't shoot boy!" the captain yelled, "Cancel your orders!" he yelled in turn to the stormtroopers. Daris glanced up nervously at the deteriorating ceiling. It wouldn't last much longer. The two stormtroopers still held his mother under gunpoint, but eased up a bit. The captain stood up, slowly raising his hands in the air.

"Now let's not do anything rash" the captain said soothingly. Daris blew it away from his mind. This captain wasn't going to talk him into putting down the gun...

The wall to Daris' left, closest to his mother suddenly collapsed. His mother, who had been watching the wall carefully, dodged aside, leaving the two stormtroopers to the same fate as their comrades. Their cries were instantly muffled by churning flames and rubble, and Daris returned his attention to the captain before him. His hands began to slip along the gun with sweat. Daris licked his lips, trying to think of his next move. "Should I shoot him?" he thought. "No, he's unarmed..." his thought continued as he glanced towards the rifle in the corner of the room. The captain had dropped it when he had fallen. Daris didn't know what to do. He stood, feeling the breeze blow in through the open wall that had fallen.

"You won't shoot me..." the captain teased. He now felt he could persuade Daris to lower his gun and make a peaceful resolution. "I commend you for your bravery boy..." the Imperial went on, "but I think it's time to leave...before we are crushed".

Daris had to agree with him, and hesitantly began to make for the opening in the wall. But in a moment, his life changed forever.

The captain chuckled, pulled out a small hand blaster from his belt, and fired two quick shots into his mission target; Daris' mother. Daris turned back, first in despair, than rage. He watched his mother fall to the floor, but was quick to bear his rifle on his mother's killer. He stared at the captain's helmet visor, and the two locked eyes with one another. Daris could sense the fiend smile under his helmet, but couldn't bring up the guts to shoot him. Even though he was powered by rage, anger, and hate for this man, he couldn't kill him. He felt weak and pathetic. Before he even realized it, the captain was gone. His figure disappeared in the smoke blowing in through the hole in the room, and Daris made way for it behind him. Daris looked back into the room for one last time, and saw his dead mother lying on the floor among the corpses of the stormtroopers. It was a image that would haunt his dreams for the rest of his life.

Once outside, Daris dropped to his knees, half in pain and half in defeat. He had lost his mother, his home, and possibly his brother. He would have to try and contact _The Phoenix Reborn_ later, for now was not the time. Now that he was outside, surrounded by a confused and shocked crowd, he suddenly realized in how bad of shape he was. He looked down at his forearms and hands, only to find a burnt, bubbling skin. A long painful cough reminded him of the terrible smoke he had been breathing in, and Daris began to feel dizzy and nauseas. The edges of his vision blurred, and his hearing began to drift away like a receding tide. The last thing he remembered seeing was an emergency speeder pulling up in front of him. Darkness overcame him immediately after...


End file.
